Watsonville Pilots Association Back in Court – They Need Our Help!

The Watsonville Pilots Association (WPA), the Friends of Buena Vista (FOBV), and the local Sierra Club were successful in litigation against the City of Watsonville, CA. The Superior Court ruled that the City is in violation of State Aeronautics Law and certain California Environmental Qualities Act (CEQA) provisions. Since the City?s general plan update was predicated on a council resolution inconsistent with airport land use planning precepts, the court ruled that the general plan and its made-to-fit Environmental Impact Report (EIR) are to be rescinded. On June 24 the Watsonville city council voted to appeal. A ruling by the appeals court makes this a precedent setting case. The ruling will then be applicable to future state-wide airport land use litigation in California. A ruling supporting State Aeronautics Law would help to protect all airports in California.

The Watsonville Pilots Association once again needs the financial support of the aviation community in California. Fighting the appeal will be backing a case that has already won at the lower court level. The Caltrans Department of Aeronautics is involved in the appeal supporting State Aeronautics Law and associated CEQA law (as relates to noise and safety around airports). The Department of Aeronautics supports the lower court ruling. Attorneys for Watsonville Pilots Association (et. al.) are cautious and conservative, but feel confident that the lower court decision should and will be upheld.

Contributions should be sent to:

Watsonville Pilots Association P.O. Box 2074 Freedom, CA 95019-2074

Please make checks payable to ?WPA? and in the check memo section write ?legal fund.? A favorable ruling at the appeals court will mean protection for not only Watsonville Airport (WVI), but all GA airports in California.

Editor’s Note: It is clear that the City of Watsonville’s strategy here is to waste more taxpayers money pursuing special interests needs (i.e. developers who contributed more than $500K for “studies” around the airport). The City of Watsonvile City Council is gambling that WPA will not be able to raise the money to go back to court. Help to prove them wrong, and at the same time strengthen our state airports! Please contribute to this important case. The WPA is a Chapter of the California Pilots Association.